550 ENTOMOLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS, &.C. 
difficult task of clearing the skeleton of its muscular co- 
vering, and its internal cavity of its contents, and then of 
stuffing it and replacing its perished eyes by glass ones 
of the proper colour, is a necessary process with every 
individual. Happily the Entomologist, from the small- 
ness of his game and the nature of their integument, is 
usually spared this labour. There are some few insects, 
however, in which a process in some degree analogous 
is requisite, if the beauty of the specimens be a conside- 
ration. Thus the abdomen of dragon-Jlies is very apt to 
lose its colour, and that of the Meloes to shrink up, if 
left in their natural state: these therefore should be 
eviscerated; which may be done by slitting the abdomen 
longitudinally on the under side, then carefully removing 
its contents, and stuffing it with cotton. In the former, 
a small straw or stalk of hay may be used, which will 
prevent the fractures to which that part, when dry, is so 
liable. Spiders, and a few apterous genera, as well as al- 
most all larva, as they usually shrink up, in drying, into a 
shapeless mass, destitute of every character dependent on 
colour or form, require to be preserved in a different man- 
ner. They may all be very well kept in rectified spirits of 
wine mixed with water, in the proportion of three parts 
of the former to one of the latter. Each, suspended by 
a thread, should be put in a separate very small labelled 
phial. Larger spiders, such as Mygale aviculare, &c, 
when suffered to dry, though the abdomen shrinks, do 
not wholly lose their characters, and are often kept in 
cabinets : but if preserved in spirits, they may be put 
into larger wide-mouthed bottles, suspended at different 
heights, with a label on the outside opposite to each spe- 
cies. Mr. Abbott of Georgia had an excellent method 
